Paying for assisted living in New Jersey
Most New Jersey families pay for assisted living out of pocket at first, using a mix of savings, retirement income, the proceeds from selling a home, and long-term care insurance. Costs vary widely depending on the community, the apartment, and how much daily help a resident needs. You can compare current pricing for communities across the state in the pricing tables below.
Beyond private pay, two public programs come up most often: New Jersey's Medicaid program and Medicare. It helps to understand what each does and does not cover before you tour communities.
Does NJ FamilyCare Medicaid (MLTSS) cover assisted living in New Jersey?
New Jersey delivers Medicaid long-term care benefits through NJ FamilyCare's Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) program. MLTSS can help pay for the care and services a resident receives in a licensed assisted living residence, comprehensive personal care home, or assisted living program.
Two important points:
- Medicaid never pays for room and board. MLTSS covers assistance with daily activities, nursing oversight, and similar services — not your rent or meals. Most residents put their income toward room and board while MLTSS covers covered services.
- You must qualify financially and clinically. Applicants generally must be 65+ or determined blind or disabled, meet strict income and asset limits, and need a nursing-facility level of care.
To apply, contact your County Office on Aging / Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC), or apply through NJ FamilyCare's Aged, Blind and Disabled programs. Not every community accepts MLTSS or has Medicaid beds available, so ask each one directly.
Does Medicare cover assisted living in New Jersey?
No. Medicare does not pay for assisted living room and board or for ongoing custodial care (help with bathing, dressing, and other daily activities), in New Jersey or anywhere else.
Medicare may still cover related medical care, such as:
- Doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription drugs (under your regular Medicare or Part D coverage).
- A limited, short-term stay in a skilled nursing facility after a qualifying hospital stay — this is rehabilitation, not assisted living.
- Medically necessary home health services.
For free, unbiased help understanding what Medicare covers, contact New Jersey's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-792-8820.
